This invention relates generally to prosthetic devices enabling an upper extremity amputees to play golf, and more specifically to a golf prosthesis that includes a slidable mechanism and a wrist emulator mechanism that allow the amputee to swing a golf club in a manner that resembles a conventional golf swing.
It is well known in the health care field that therapeutic benefits can be gained by enabling persons with physical handicaps to play conventional sports. Such is the case with enabling upper extremity amputees to play golf. The therapeutic benefits are both physical and psychological.
Golf is a difficult game for an upper extremity amputee to master, especially when the amputee has only partial use of both upper extremities. It is well known in the golf art that the coordinated movement of shoulders, back and legs during a golf swing is communicated to the club via the arms and hands, and particularly the wrists.
Prior art golf prostheses are known assisting an amputee who has partially lost the use of one upper extremity only. There is therefore a need for a prosthesis assisting the amputee who has partially lost the use of both upper extremities.
The prior art golf prostheses also assume that the amputee has a xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d hand for use as the primary grip on the club in a conventional swing (i.e. the left hand for a right handed player and the right hand for a left handed player). These prior art prostheses are not serviceable for an amputee who has lost the partial use of both upper extremities, or who otherwise does not have a xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d hand for use as a primary grip on the club. There is therefore a need in the art for a prosthesis which emulates the action of the hand and wrist which is the primary grip on the club in a conventional swing.
The fact that these prior art prostheses assume that the amputee has a xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d hand also causes them to overlook another problem facing amputees who have lost partial use of both upper extremities. The gripping of two hands together on a golf club in a conventional swing assists the golfer in keeping shoulders, back and hips in proper alignment during back swing and return swing. Clearly this body alignment is unavailable to an upper extremity amputee unless both limbs are connected to the golf club. Further, the use of both of hands in a conventional swing allows a more complete transfer of energy from the back, shoulders and legs into the golf swing. There is therefore a need in the art for a prosthesis including a mechanism that emulates keeping both hands on the club during back swing and return swing.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by a golf prosthesis assisting an upper extremity amputee to swing a golf club. In one embodiment, the prosthesis comprises first and second prosthetic sockets in which the amputee""s limbs are received. An extension pylon extends from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club. The second prosthetic socket is slidably engaged upon the extension pylon, thereby assisting the amputee in keeping shoulders, back and hips in proper alignment during back swing and return swing. A wrist terminal device connects the extension pylon to the golf club. The wrist terminal device emulates cocking and release of the wrists during a conventional golf swing. The wrist terminal device provides a club holder firmly holding the golf club, and a rotary joint restrained from rotation in all but a preselected plane. The preselected plane is adjustably selectable with respect to the direction in which the amputee desires to hit the ball. In some embodiments, rotation in the preselected plane is encouraged by spring action to return to a rest position in which the golf club extends substantially straight towards the ball and away from the amputee when the amputee addresses the ball before swinging. The rotary joint permits selectable amounts of rotation against the spring action during back swing and return swing.
One embodiment of the invention thus provides a golf prosthesis for an upper extremity amputee, the prosthesis assisting the amputee to swing a golf club, the prosthesis comprising first and second prosthetic sockets, an extension pylon extending from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club, the second prosthetic socket attached to the extension pylon, and a wrist terminal device connecting the extension pylon to the golf club; the wrist terminal device further including a club holder, the club holder firmly holding the golf club, a rotary joint restrained from rotation in all but a preselected plane, the preselected plane adjustably selectable with respect to the direction in which the amputee desires to hit a ball with the golf club, and the rotary joint permitting predetermined amounts of rotation during back swing and return swing. In further embodiments, rotation in the preselected plane is encouraged by spring action to return to a rest position in which the golf club extends substantially straight towards the ball and away from the amputee when the amputee addresses the ball before swinging.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a golf prosthesis for an upper extremity amputee, the prosthesis assisting the amputee to swing a golf club, the prosthesis comprising a prosthetic socket and a wrist terminal device connecting the prosthetic socket to the golf club; the wrist terminal device further including a club holder, the club holder firmly holding the golf club, a rotary joint, rotation of the rotary joint encouraged by spring action to return to a rest position in which the golf club extends substantially straight towards a ball and away from the amputee when the amputee addresses the ball before swinging, and the rotary joint permitting selectable amounts of rotation against the spring action during back swing and return swing.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a golf prosthesis for an upper extremity amputee, the prosthesis assisting the amputee to swing a golf club, the prosthesis comprising first and second prosthetic sockets, and an extension pylon extending from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club, the second prosthetic socket attached to the extension pylon. In one further embodiment such attachment is a slidable engagement, and in another further embodiment such attachment is substantially fixed.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a golf prosthesis for an upper extremity amputee, the prosthesis assisting the amputee to swing a golf club, the prosthesis comprising first and second prosthetic sockets, an extension pylon extending from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club, the second prosthetic socket slidably engaged upon the extension pylon, said slidable engagement of the second prosthetic socket upon the extension pylon including a pylon sleeve disposed to slide along the extension pylon and a connector connecting the pylon sleeve to the second prosthetic socket, and the connector comprising a vibration isolator including a resilient vibration damper made from a material selected from the group consisting of (1) elastomer and (2) rubber.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a golf prosthesis for an upper extremity amputee, the prosthesis assisting the amputee to swing a golf club, the prosthesis comprising first and second prosthetic sockets, an extension pylon extending from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club, the second prosthetic socket slidably engaged upon the extension pylon, said slidable engagement of the second prosthetic socket upon the extension pylon including a pylon sleeve disposed to slide along the extension pylon and a connector connecting the pylon sleeve to the second prosthetic socket, the connector comprising a vibration isolator including a resilient vibration damper made from a material selected from the group consisting of (1) elastomer and (2) rubber, and a wrist terminal device connecting the extension pylon to the golf club; the wrist terminal device further including a club holder, the club holder firmly holding the golf club, a rotary joint restrained from rotation in all but a preselected plane, the preselected plane adjustably selectable with respect to the direction in which the amputee desires to hit a ball with the golf club, rotation in the preselected plane encouraged by spring action to return to a rest position in which the golf club extends substantially straight towards the ball and away from the amputee when the amputee addresses the ball before swinging, the spring action comprising first and second spring mechanisms encouraging rotation to return to the rest position during back swing and return swing respectively, each of the first and second spring mechanisms including a spring selected from the group consisting of (a) a leaf spring, (b) a ball plunger spring, (c) a pneumatic spring, (d) a hydraulic spring, and (e) a resilient solid material spring, the rotary joint permitting selectable amounts of rotation against the spring action during back swing and return swing, the rotary joint including a rotating portion and a stationary portion, the first and second spring mechanisms each operating upon the rotating portion via leverage against the stationary portion, and the rotary joint further including an adjustable rotation damper mechanism disposed to regulate rotation in response to torque, the rotation damper mechanism comprising a damper ball plunger spring located in the stationary portion of the rotary joint and operable against the rotating portion of the rotary joint, the damper ball plunger spring disposed to be adjustably tightenable in frictionally restraining rotation of the rotating portion.
It is therefore a technical advantage of the present invention to provide a golf prosthesis that assists an amputee who has partially lost the use of both upper extremities, or who otherwise does not have a xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d hand for use as a primary grip on the club.
Another technical advantage of the present invention is to provide a golf prosthesis that includes a mechanism that emulates cocking and release of the wrists during a conventional golf swing.
Another technical advantage of the invention is to provide a golf prosthesis that includes a mechanism emulating keeping both hands on the club during a conventional golf swing. An amputee who has lost partial use of both upper extremities is thus assisted in keeping shoulders, back and hips in proper alignment during back swing and return swing. There is also a more complete transfer of energy into the swing from the shoulders, back and legs.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.